Wooden tank



Jan. 11, 1938. J. P. WALKER 2,104,961

WOODEN TANK Filed April 16, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l Elnvcnfob:

J19) WAL ER,

J. P. WALKER Jan. 11, 1938.

WOODEN TANK Filed April 16, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 h P, Wfil-KER Patented Jan. 11, 1938 ,NITED STATE if f FFECE WOODEN TANK Application April 16, 1936, Serial No. 74,695

Claims.

'Thisinvention relates to new and useful improvements in wooden tanks.

One object of the invention is to provide a wooden tank having improved joints between its 5 staves adapted to contain a liquid for moistening the joints, whereby said joints are swelled and maintained tight to prevent leaks.

Another object of the invention is to provide moisture joints for the side staves of a tank arranged to overflow only at the top, so that the joints are not drained by the outlet, and a more certain liquid seal is provided.

A further object of the invention is to provide a wooden tank having liquid containing joints and wherein the joints of the side staves are supplied with liquid separately from the joints of the top, thus preventing draining the joints of the top in order to supply the staves of the side.

A construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described, together with other features of the invention.

7 The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and by, reference to the accompanying drawings, in which an example of the invention is shown, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a wooden tank constructed in accordance with the invention,

Figure 2 is a plan View of the same,

30 Figure 3 is a perspective view of one of the side 7 staves,

Figure 4 is a partial vertical sectional view of the tank,

Figure 5 is a plan view of another form of tank 35 constructed in accordance with the invention,

Figure. 6 is a partial vertical sectional view of the same,

Figure '7 is a vertical sectional view of still another form,

Figure 8 is a perspective view of another form of side stave, and

Figures 9 and 10 are views of still another form of side stave.

In the drawings, the numeral 10 designates the side of a wooden tank, I l the top thereof, and I2 the bottom. lhe side and top are provided with moisture joints, while the bottom is not, but if found desirable moisture joints could be applied to the bottom also. As tanks of this character are more frequently used for storing liquids, the bottoms seldom shrink, and little or no difficulty is experienced because of leaking between the bottom staves.

In the form shown in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, the side is composed of upright or vertical staves [3 and the top of horizontal or transverse staves 14. The side staves are constructed in the usual manner of relatively thick lumber and provided, each with an upper croze l5 for receiving the top staves l3 and a lower croze I6 for receiving the bottom l2.

Each side stave has concaved grooves I! in its vertical edges, so that when the staves are assembled, two of these grooves are registered to form an enclosed upright channel or passage in the joint. It will be noted that each groove terminates short of the upper and lower crozes and has no communication therewith. This is one of the features of the invention. The upper ends of the grooves of each side stave l3 are connected by a cross passage !8, and the lower ends by a cross passage l9. These passages are usual- 1y made by boring through the stave.

It will be seen that when the side staves are assembled the passages l8 and I9 will form circular channels around the tank which will be connected by the upright grooves l1. It is most important to keep the grooves and passage full of liquid, water being suitable for the purpose. In one of the staves I3, an inlet port 20 is provided and receives a nozzle 2|; while in the next stave an outlet port is provided with a nozzle 22. Water conducted to the inlet nozzle 2! in a suitable manner flows through the port 20 to the passages l8.

Water entering the passages I8 flows down the grooves l1 and fills the bottom passages l9. When all the passages and grooves are full water will overflow from the nozzle 22. It is pointed out whenever water flows from the nozzle 22 it indicates that the joints are full. If necessary, a plug (not shown) may be inserted between inlet and outlet to assure filling. This arrangement is superior to moisture joints having a bottom outlet, as it precludes draining of the passages and grooves and makes for a more certain seal and constant water filled joints. It is noted that it would be possible to eliminate either one of the cross passages 58 or 19 and thus provide only one cross passage connecting the grooves I! in each stave. The proper circulation would be had with the single cross passage.

Each top stave l has grooves 23 in its longitudinal edges connected by grooves 24 in the ends. The staves also have single cross passages 25 connecting their grooves. As is shown in Figure 2, the cross grooves are staggered so as to promote circulation of the water through the top. By provision of the cross passages 25 and the end grooves 2 it is not necessary to groove the upper crozes l5 of the side staves.

One of the features of the invention is separation of the moisture joints of the top H from those of the side of the tank. This prevents the water draining out of the top joints into the side joints and permitting the top joints to become dry and leak. An inlet nozzle 25 and an outlet nozzle 27 are provided above the nozzles 22! and 22 and control the water supply of the top joints.

In Figures 5 to '7 inclusive I have shown another form in which the end grooves 24 are omitted and an inlet nozzle 28 is connected to one of the cross passages 25, while an outlet nozzle 29 is connected to another of such passages. This form of top could be used with the side stave joints shown in Figure 1. The uppercross passage is may be elevated to a point opposite the croze l5 as is shown at It in Figure 6 and the grooves I! lengthened, so as to provide moisture adjacent the croze. Otherwise the side wall may be the same.

Figure 7 shows a top I i in which the side grooves 23 extend to the croze I5, but is otherwise like Figure 5. Water will seep around the croze and keep the ends of the top staves M moist and tight. As a circulation of the water is not necessary in the vertical grooves H, the lower cross passages is may be omitted'as is shown in Figures 6 and 8.

In Figures 9 and 10, another form of side stave is shown. In this form the groove ll is formed in only one vertical edge of the stave and the cross passage it extends entirely through the stave. .Vith such arrangement it will be obvious that when the staves abut each other a vertical passage is provided between each, the vertical passage being connected by the cross passages it. It is noted that in this form, the cross passages It may, or may not be employed, as desired. 7

In all forms, the inlet and outlet for the liquid are separate and whenever such liquid overflows the outlet, it is obvious that the grooves and passages are properly filled. If desired, the outlet may be provided with a gauge glass (not shown) whereby a positive indication that the liquid is within the grooves and passages may be had.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A tank including, a side wall and a bottom and a top, the side wall and top being composed of staves having moisture joints therebetween arranged so that the joints of the top cannot drain into the joints of the side wall, whereby the supply of moisture to the joints of the top and side walls may be separately regulated.

2. A tank including, a side wall and a bottom and a top, the side wall and top being composed of staves having moisture joints therebetween arranged so that the joints of the top cannot drain into the joints of the side wall, the mois ture' joints including liquid channels and passages, the channels and passages of the side wall being free from connection with the channels and passages of the top so as to be separately filled and to preclude one draining into the other, and means for filling the channels and passages of the top and the passages and channels and passages of the side wall separately.

3. A tank including, a bottom and a side wall, the side wall being composed of staves having moisture joints therebetween having both their inlet and their outlet at their upper ends, whereby said joints are not drained through the outlet, means for separately supplying the side wall joints and a top having moisture joints separately supplied from the side wall joints, whereby the moisture content of the side and top joints may be separately controlled.

4. A tank side wall stave having upper and lower crozes, and grooves in its longitudinal edges terminating short of both the upper and lower crozes, said stave also having cross passages connecting the grooves located between the upper and lower crozes.

5. A tank including, a side wall and a bottom and a top, the side wall being composed of staves having upright liquid channels therebetween and circular liquid passages connecting the upper and lower ends of the channels around the tank, an inlet for the liquid, an outlet for the liquid, the

inlet and the outlet both being in the upper circular passage, whereby draining of the channels is precluded, the top having longitudinal channels between its staves connected by cross passages, and means for supplying and discharging liquid from the top channels separately from the side channels.

6. A tank including, an upright side wall and a bottom and a top, the side Wall and top being composed of staves having moisture joints therebetween, the moisture joints of the side wall being free from connection with the moisture joints or the top, whereby moisture cannot drain from the top joints to the side joints, means for supplying and discharging liquid from the moisture joints of the top, and means for supplying and discharging liquid from the side Wall moisture joints separately and independently of the supply and discharge means of the top moisture joints, whereby depletion of moisture in the side joints is prevented from depleting moisture from the top joints.

'7. A tank including top, side and bottom closure walls, the top and side walls being composed of staves having moisture channels therebetween, the channels of at least one of said walls terminating short of the crozes receiving the top staves, whereby communication between the channels of top and side walls is prevented and leaking at the crozes obviated.

8. A tank including, upright side walls having moisture joints therebetween, and a top deck composed of transverse staves having interconnecting moisture channels therebetween, the moisture channels of the deck terminating short of each end of each stave, whereby a liquid in the channels of the top is prevented from reaching the moisture joints of the side wall and draining thereinto.

9. A tank side wall stave having upper and lower crozes and a groove in one longitudinal edge thereof terminating short of both the upper and lower crozes, said stave also having a cross passage extending from the groove to the opposite longitudinal edge of said stave.

10. A tank side wall stave having upper and lower crozes and a groove in one longitudinal edge thereof terminating short of both the upper and lower crozes, said stave also having cross passages extending from the upper and lower ends of the groove to the opposite longitudinal edge of the stave.

JAY P. WALKER. 

